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The smooth creamy texture of brown sugar ice cream with its rich caramel, toffee-like flavor makes this the perfect ice cream to take me into fall.

brown sugar ice cream in white bowl

Brown Sugar Ice Cream

Creamy vanilla homemade ice cream is my absolute favorite. But I like to mix things up a bit every once in a while. Creating a slighting richer ice cream with brown sugar is one way to do that.

Why brown sugar instead of white sugar? Brown sugar is simply white sugar with the addition of molasses. The molasses in brown sugar gives a deep caramel or subtle toffee flavor.

Note: I did not put additional molasses in this recipe. However, feel free to add a teaspoon or so to your liking. Depending on my mood I have been known to sneak it in.

Brown sugar changes up the ice cream for something a bit richer tasting. Plus if you are out of white sugar and still want to make ice cream, you can! It is always good to have options.

Mixing up the ice cream base couldn’t be easier. Place all your ingredients in a bowl and whisk. It might take your brown sugar a bit longer to dissolve, so a little extra whisking might be needed, but worth it.

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ice cream in bowl

Cinnamon Brown Sugar Ice Cream

You can add in so many delicious things to ice cream. Cinnamon and cinnamon chips pair perfectly with brown sugar. You may recall just how much we love cinnamon ice cream – we love it so much we have 5-minute cinnamon ice cream recipe and a french-style custard too.

Caramelized almonds, candied walnuts, or cinnamon-roasted pecans make terrific add-ins too. Last but not least, don’t forget to top the richness with a sprinkling of flaky Maldon salt. It results in a perfectly sweet and salty combination.

Brown sugar ice cream, while delicious on its own, is also perfect for topping a German apple pie, an old-fashioned apple crisp, or a warm apple brownie.

With over 160 ice cream recipes here to choose from, there’s sure to be an ice cream for everyone! If you’re new to making ice cream, the best and easiest vanilla ice cream is a great place to start.

These are my favorite inexpensive containers for storing ice cream. They’re perfect for gifting (who doesn’t love homemade ice cream?) storage, re-using, etc. I write the flavors on the lids with a sharpie and it washes off with dish soap.

I have more ice cream scoops than I can keep track of at this point and I definitely play favorites. This ice cream scoop does the best job ever of cutting through firm ice cream and still delivers a pretty scoop. It gets bonus points for being one of the least expensive scoops I own as well.

Don’t miss our Ice Cream Maker Review for all the information you need to find the BEST Ice Cream Maker for your needs. Spoiler alert – our top-rated machine under $50 just might surprise you. It sure surprised me!

Brown Sugar Ice Cream Recipe

A simple list of ingredients and two steps is all you need for brown sugar ice cream:

  • heavy cream
  • whole milk
  • dark brown sugar
  • kosher salt
  • vanilla bean paste
  • vanilla extract
  1. Combine the cream, milk, brown sugar, salt, vanilla bean paste, and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl. Whisk to combine.
  2. Pour into the ice cream maker. Churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer the finished ice cream to an airtight container and place it in the freezer until ready to serve.

The most popular question I get is whether it’s possible to make ice cream without a machine. The answer is YES. You can make ice cream without a machine. Find the full directions here!

molasses ice cream

Homemade Ice Cream

I probably don’t even need to mention it, but homemade ice cream is pretty much a dream come true for topping Southern Peach CobblerGrandma’s Cherry Flop, or this Strawberry Rhubarb Crunch.

Peppermint mocha ice cream is a great way to enjoy your favorite Christmas flavors in a cold and creamy bowl of ice cream.

Irresistibly rich coffee ice cream is a dessert that captures the morning joy of a freshly brewed cup of your favorite java. Perfect at any time of day!

This creamy vanilla grape nut ice cream has been an absolute win with family and friends.

While ice cream is a staple in our freezer year-round, the add-in potentials for this particular ice cream are endless. I’ve filled this ice cream with chunks of brownies, bits of cookie dough, pieces of oatmeal cookies, and swirls of salted caramel sauce.

4.88 from 8 votes

Brown Sugar Ice Cream

Avatar photoMary Younkin
The smooth creamy texture of brown sugar ice cream with its rich caramel, toffee-like flavor makes this the perfect ice cream for fall.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
45 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 6 servings (about 1.5 quarts)
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Ingredients 

  • cups heavy cream
  • cup whole milk
  • cup dark brown sugar
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions 

  • Combine the cream, milk, brown sugar, salt, vanilla bean paste, and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl. Whisk to combine.
  • Pour into the ice cream maker. Churn according to the manufacturer's instructions. Transfer the finished ice cream to an airtight container and place it in the freezer until ready to serve.

Notes

If you don’t happen to have dark brown sugar on hand, you can add 1 teaspoon of molasses to the mixture to create the same richer flavor.

Nutrition

Calories: 373 kcal | Carbohydrates: 30 g | Protein: 3 g | Fat: 27 g | Saturated Fat: 17 g | Cholesterol: 100 mg | Sodium: 97 mg | Potassium: 119 mg | Sugar: 28 g | Vitamin A: 1103 IU | Vitamin C: 1 mg | Calcium: 103 mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

brown sugar ice cream

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Rating




17 Comments

  1. celine says:

    can you make all of your ice-cream recipes without a machine?

  2. Elizabeth says:

    Hi ! I was thinking ice cream was like a custard with egg yolks in it but I don’t them in your recipe. Just curious what the different texture would be with or without. Thx!5 stars

    1. Mary Younkin says:

      Ice cream made with yolks can be a tiny bit richer, depending on the other ingredients in the recipe. However, “Philadelphia style” or “eggless ice cream” is my personal favorite.

  3. Siri Zwemke says:

    Delicious! WOW on this over apple pie. Super vanillaish and the caramel of the brown sugar is amazing. Absolutely five stars. Rich and creamy. Yum.5 stars

    1. Mary Younkin says:

      So good on apple anything! I am delighted you love it!

  4. Sarah Brooke says:

    I got the ice cream attachment for my KitchenAid mixer this year for Christmas and have been experimenting with different recipes ever since. This recipe is absolutely delicious…..no need for egg yolks, it’s plenty rich and creamy and a wonderful base for other ice creams. I added coffee last time( 2 Tbl. Medaglia D’oro instant espresso dissolved in a bit of hot water) …perfect coffee toffee flavor. I’ll do the same next time and add mini chocolate chips or toffee bits( or maybe both!)5 stars

    1. Mary Younkin says:

      I am so happy you love the recipe. Your additions sound delicious!

    2. Maria Fleming says:

      Hi Sarah, just curious if you could share how long you run your mixer when making this recipe?! I’ve made this a couple of times now with my KitchenAid and it’s leaving that oily film in my mouth. 😩5 stars

  5. Siri Zwemke says:

    Absolutely delicious, have made this several times now. I add in Heath toffee bits and a TB of Kahlua or other cream liqueur to help with ice crystals and it is just so good.5 stars

    1. Mary Younkin says:

      That sounds delicious, Siri. I’m glad you’ve been loving the ice cream. Enjoy!

  6. Melissa M says:

    I finally received the ice cream attachment for my Kitchen aid. This is the first ice cream I made and have since (couple months) I’ve made it 4 more times. It’s a perfect base to add to or on its own. I’ve added, Reese’s Pieces, cinnamon, and turned it into s’mores ice cream. It’s a favorite for us and it’s so easy why not always have it on hand. We love this recipe.5 stars

    1. Mary Younkin says:

      I’m so glad to hear that you’ve been loving the ice cream, Melissa! With the right tools, it’s dangerously easy to make ice cream on a whim. Enjoy!

  7. Erin says:

    I made this ice cream to go with apple crisp and can’t believe how out of this world delish it is! I didn’t have enough heavy cream or vanilla bean paste, so made with 1 cup cream, 2 cups whole milk, and 2 teaspoons vanilla. So, so good!5 stars

    1. Mary Younkin says:

      I’m happy to hear that you loved the ice cream, Erin. I’m glad you were able to make the recipe work for you. Enjoy, and happy cooking!

  8. leslie says:

    Mary, loved this but it’s too sweet for us. Can i decrease the amt of brown sugar without hurting the texture?
    Thanks and happy holidays!
    Leslie4 stars

    1. Mary Younkin says:

      Yes, you can reduce it without worry.